This invention relates to compressed forage products, and in particular, to an apparatus for processing large square bales of hay into smaller, recompressed bales.
There is a growing international market for recompressed hay, particularly in Japan and other Asian rim countries. Freight is one of the biggest costs in exporting hay overseas. Shipping is usually done in containers, which have a maximum weight limit. Freight is based on the number of containers, and so to minimize freight the container must be loaded to the maximum weight allowable. A typical hay bale, which consists of loose field hay which has been compressed once and strapped to form a bale, is too bulky to be transported overseas economically. Therefore, hay bales are commonly recompressed into smaller, denser bales before shipping.
Traditional recompression techniques were limited to small hay bales (approximately 35 to 40 kg; 16-18 inxc3x9716 inxc3x9748 in), e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,350. However, balers which produce large square bales (approximately 750 kg; and with approximate dimension of 48 inxc3x9752 inxc3x9796 in), have become increasingly popular, due to the increased efficiency of bale production. In particular, large square bales cost less in materials and man hours to produce, and are more efficiently handled and transported across land to export packaging facilities. These large square bales must be processed into smaller, denser bales before shipping, to reduce the costs of freight. It is also important that the bales be processed into smaller, more manageable units, because end users in Asian rim countries generally lack the necessary equipment to handle large, heavy bales. However, traditional recompression techniques are not capable of handling the immense size of large square bales. Accordingly, there is a need for a method of processing large square bales into a product that maximizes container weight, yet is light enough to be readily handled by the end user, without automated equipment.
The invention seeks to provide an apparatus for processing a large square hay bale into recompressed units, comprising in combination: a first cutting means for making at least one cut through the bale to produce at least two slabs of approximately equal size; a separating means for separating the slabs, adjacent to the first cutting means; a bale support, adjacent to the separating means; a compression chamber for recompressing the slabs, adjacent to the bale support means; a first moving means for moving the slabs along the bale support means and into the compression chamber; a second moving means for moving the slabs out of the compression chamber.
An advantage of the apparatus is that it efficiently processes a large square bale into smaller, denser bales, which are more cost-effective for overseas transport, and which may be more easily handled by end-users without automated equipment. A further advantage of the apparatus is that it produces multiple recompressed bales with each cycle of the recompression chamber, which allows for greater efficiency of production. A still further advantage of the apparatus is that it produces recompressed bales of uniform weight and good appearance.